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My doctor is sending me to a clinic for all kinds of tests of my prostate. I have been going constantly and it wakes me in the night. I hope I do not have cancer. The urine and blood test was easy but I am a bit nervous about the other tests. Can you help?
You might have an enlarged prostate and not necessarily prostate cancer. Don't worry until you have all the test results/facts from your doctor. Do you know what your PSA was? Normal range is zero to four. Also, if you do find that you have prostate cancer, it is very treatable.
My doctor is sending me to a clinic for all kinds of tests of my prostate. I have been going constantly and it wakes me in the night. I hope I do not have cancer. The urine and blood test was easy but I am a bit nervous about the other tests. Can you help?
Most men as they get older have some prostrate issues and they have to urinate frequently. It does not mean that you have cancer. I would wait for the results of the test. Anyhow, it's a very slow growing cancer anyway.
You can expect an Ultrasound of the area and possibly a CT Scan of the Pelvis as for imaging diagnostic tests. This is of course in addition to the old fashioned clinical exam. As for the Ultrasound you can expect the Sonographer to place (warmed) gel on your ******* and surrounding area and utilize the transducer to sweep over the area to obtain images. In some cases a transrectal sonogram is ordered and that is what you are thinking it is. If you undergo a CT Scan of the pelvis you can expect to drink the oral contrast (barium usually and this takes approximately two hours to work its way through your system) and have IV contrast administered, dependent on your clinical condition (creatinine levels, diabetic?, etc.). For the test itself you only need to lay still and follow breathing instructions.
Good Luck.
for some reason s.c.r.o.t.u.m. was edited out to asterisks
I am curious if anyone has ever been told they have a PSA of 46. If they have had several biopsies that show no cancer but enlarged prostrate and massive inflammation of the Prostrate.PSA tests that go up and down always high scores. Not many infections but 3 in 2 years. That is my case and I am not really sure I am being treated properly for this conditon, other than constant antibiotics for infections. I am on a 30 day course of antibiotics again now. I hate to keep changing doctors and I have been, My instincts tell me I am not comfortable with their level of medical care. Does anyone have any suggestions as to how you would handle this situation. I feel I am not really seeing the proper doctors both urologist and primary care doctors and also they seem extremely overwhelmed in their patient load ,and it shows during the visits in their demeanor. I am going to doctors in a large medical center big city environment and really they don't seem like they have 5 minutes to go over such a situtation that I have. I am extremely concerned about now having reached the highest PSA score I have had of 46, I was at 5 just 2 years ago. Thank You.
Big difference. Below 4.0 is normal; so yours is slightly elevated, which could be an infectious process. HOWEVER- cancers have been reported in men with low PSA results. So, the test is not a clear cut indicator, hence the additional tests requested by your physicians.
One suggestion is to have the other tests done, and to stick with your doctors. I get the impression you are changing frequently. That does not help you, unless the doctors are incompetent.
I think you are frustrated, as can be expected, but changing around will not help your situation at all. You need continuity of care, and one does not attain that by switching.
The other thing is that, if this is a cancer, you need to get it aggressively treated. Some are slow growing, some are fast growing. Not all can be lumped into one category. The sooner this is addressed, the better yo chance for a smooth recovery. Cancers can affect any age group, although the older groups do tend to show it more. Dan Folgelberg, song writer and musician recently died of advanced prostate cancer, and he was only 56.
I don't mean to scare you, but the sooner you get this addressed, and stop the changing of doctors, the better off you will be.
Thank you for the info. My PSA is definitely 46 not 4.6. Yes I am concerned about it and the fact I change doctors, I know that is wrong. I am retired from the VA medical center so I do have some backround with doctors and health care. I spotted something wrong within the health system I go to in Portland,and although I changed doctors I did not change health systems. Just this week the urologist gave me a script for Cipro which I was already on,and the Primary gave me a script for Nitrofurantoin. I found I was given these scripts before the lab results are processed and no follow up or phone call to confirm what infection I have or further treatment. It is probably understandable a patient would find red flags in that type of treatment. I had to actually ask the Primary what pill am I suppose to take, that I felt the urologist should be talking to him about what pills he is putting me on. I realize this has to be taken care of so tomorrow I am going to call blue cross and see about an entirely different health provider in Portland and what they recommend. I expect I will be left on my own as that is how I found myself in this mess of doctors in the first place. Thank you again, and yes I am aware of Dan Fogelberg's death at 56, I started developing prostrate problems at 55 and 56 I just turned 58 in November. I do have to find a solution to this. Thanks.
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If you undergo a CT Scan of the pelvis you can expect to drink the oral contrast (barium usually and this takes approximately two hours to work its way through your system) and have IV contrast administered, dependent on your clinical condition (creatinine levels, diabetic?, etc.). For the test itself you only need to lay still and follow breathing instructions. 
